May 13, 2025 • 24 mins
Imagine if your brain actually craved effort instead of avoiding it. What if the very struggle you're trying to escape is precisely what can fuel your motivation and drive? In this eye-opening exploration of intrinsic motivation, David Sage reveals the powerful neurological mechanisms that can transform how we approach challenges.
Drawing on cutting-edge research from Stanford neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman and self-determination theory pioneers, David unpacks how dopamine - our motivation molecule - operates in surprising ways. Contrary to popular belief, dopamine isn't just released when we achieve goals; significant releases occur during the effort itself when we believe we're making progress. This revelation changes everything about how we approach difficult tasks.
The key insight? Our subjective interpretation of effort determines whether we suppress or enhance this beneficial dopamine release. When we consciously reframe struggle as evidence of growth and progress, we create a powerful feedback loop that makes effort itself rewarding. As David explains, "Effort is enough. Progress is the point. Growth is the goal." This perspective shift aligns perfectly with the Stoic philosophy that "the obstacle is the way."
Through practical, actionable strategies, you'll learn to subjectively reward effort, carefully manage external rewards, focus on actions rather than outcomes, and embrace the growth mindset necessary for lasting motivation. Rather than waiting for inspiration to strike, you'll discover how to build the ultimate self-development muscle - one that creates its own energy and fuels everything else in your life.
Ready to transform how you approach challenges? Join us on this journey to harness your natural reward system and cultivate genuine, lasting motivation. Subscribe now and share with someone who could benefit from developing this superpower of intrinsic drive.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to the Sage Solutions Podcast, where we talk
about all things personalgrowth, personal development and
becoming your best self.
My name is David Sage and I ama self-worth and confidence
coach with Sage CoachingSolutions.
Have you ever found yourselfdoing something that's so easy
(00:25):
that it's just plain boring?
Have you ever gotten a thrillout of accomplishing something
that was a challenge?
Of course you have.
It's baked into our DNA.
We were wired to findchallenges motivating.
It was an essential strategyfor life.
When we take a look at theevolutionary psychology, it just
(00:47):
makes sense that everyday lifewas a struggle.
For our ancestors, justsurviving meant overcoming
challenges on a daily basis, soof course it made sense for our
brains to reward us forovercoming those challenges,
because doing so kept us alive.
(01:07):
In this podcast, we've talkedabout many different topics, one
of them being that life is likea muscle.
So build it.
It's actually one of my fivecore fundamentals.
But what if I told you therewas one specific muscle and when
I say muscle, I'm referring totraits or skills that we can
build like a muscle that there'sone muscle that is more
(01:31):
powerful and can have a biggerimpact on your life than any
other single muscle, that youcould build that muscle is
intrinsic motivation, because ifyou can build this muscle, it
will actually produce its ownfuel and fuel all the other
muscles that you want to build.
This is a topic I've actuallyheld off on covering because I
(01:54):
wanted to have a good enoughunderstanding to really do it
justice.
So here it is cultivatingintrinsication.
But before we get into it, ourgoal with this podcast is to
share free, helpful tools withyou and anyone you know who is
looking to improve their life.
(02:16):
So take action, subscribe andshare this podcast with them.
How often do you find yourselfpushing through tasks feeling
like you're just going throughthe motions?
Or maybe you start new goalswith a burst of enthusiasm, only
for that to fizzle out.
Today we're going deep intothis fuel that can keep that
(02:39):
fire burning.
Bright Intrinsic motivation.
It's that powerful RightIntrinsic motivation.
It's that powerful Internaldrive to do something simply
because you find it interesting,enjoyable or personally
satisfying.
And even better yet, gettingeffort to become energy can
completely change your life, anddoing it solely for this
(03:00):
intrinsic motivation, not for anexternal reward or to avoid
punishment.
We'll explore what it is thefascinating science of how it
works, specifically through thelens of dopamine and effort, but
, most importantly, we'lluncover practical, actionable
steps that you can start usingtoday to cultivate more
(03:24):
intrinsic motivation in your ownlife.
This isn't about quick fixes.
It's about understanding ourinner workings to build a
sustainable drive.
So grab a drink, settle in andlet's unlock the secrets to
genuine, lasting motivation.
On a previous podcast, we talkedabout feeling motivated.
(03:48):
The type of motivation thatwe're talking about today is a
bit different Waiting to feelmotivated or get inspiration, as
I like to say, just todifferentiate.
It is what causes Mel Robbinsto say motivation is garbage If
we're waiting to feel inspiredor this sense of motivation in
(04:09):
order to do the things that weneed to do in our life.
Most of the time, we're notgoing to do them, which is why
that feeling of motivation isbetter used as a lubrication
something that makes it easierto do it than a fuel.
However, when it comes to thedopamine reward system and
intrinsic motivation somethingthat makes it easier to do it
than a fuel.
However, when it comes to thedopamine reward system and
(04:30):
intrinsic motivation, we'retalking about a whole different
ballgame.
So what exactly is intrinsicmotivation?
At its core, it's the desire toengage in activities for their
own sake, think about a hobbyyou love.
Perhaps it's painting, playingan instrument, gardening or even
solving complex puzzles.
You do these things because theprocess itself is rewarding and
(04:54):
you enjoy doing them.
The pioneers ofself-determination theory,
psychologists Edward Dessy andRichard Ryan, have extensively
researched this.
They propose that intrinsicmotivation thrives when three
basic psychological needs aremet Autonomy, or the feeling of
(05:14):
control and choice.
Competence, the feeling ofbeing effective and capable.
And relatedness feelingconnected to others and
relatedness feeling connected toothers.
As Desi and Ryan put it intheir seminal work, intrinsic
motivation is critical becauseit leads to persistence,
creativity and well-being.
(05:34):
When we're intrinsicallymotivated, we're more engaged,
we learn better and we generallyfeel happier about what we're
doing.
This contrasts sharply withextrinsic motivation, where
we're driven by external factorslike money, grades, praise or
(05:55):
fear of consequences.
That's right, both the carrotand the stick.
Extrinsic motivators are anatural part of everyday life.
Extrinsic motivators are anatural part of everyday life.
While they have their place,relying on them too heavily can
actually undermine our intrinsicdrive.
Imagine a child who loves todraw.
If you start paying them forevery picture, they might start
(06:17):
drawing only for the money andthe pure joy of it can actually
fade.
Now let's get into some of thefascinating science, especially
around the neurotransmitter.
Many of you have heard ofdopamine.
Now you might be laughing andgoing.
Fascinating science, but if youunderstood the power that what
I'm talking about today can haveover your life, you would
(06:40):
understand why I'm so excitedabout this.
Dopamine is often misunderstoodas purely the pleasure molecule
or, more recently, as the rewardmolecule.
Dopamine is much more nuanced.
It's fundamentally a moleculeof motivation, pursuit and drive
.
Dr Andrew Huberman, a scientistat Stanford and the host of the
(07:05):
Huberman Lab podcast, has donea fantastic job of popularizing
the science of how dopaminereally works in the context of
motivation.
One of his key insights is thatdopamine isn't just released
when we achieve a goal.
A significant, and perhaps morecrucial release happens during
(07:26):
the effort itself, especiallywhen we believe we are on the
right path.
Think about that.
It's not just about the summitof the mountain.
What it's really about is theclimb.
Huberman explains that ourbrains are wired to release
dopamine when we are in pursuit,when we are striving.
(07:47):
However, a critical piece hereis our subjective interpretation
of the effort.
If we view the struggle, thefriction, the difficulty as a
bad thing, something to beavoided, we can actually
suppress this beneficialdopamine release.
But if we can get ourselvesback to that natural state, to
(08:10):
use our conscious perspective toreframe that effort as the very
thing that's carving the pathto our goal, as evidence that we
are moving forward, then theeffort itself can become a
source of dopamine and a rewardin and of itself.
This is truly a game changer,because it means we don't have
(08:34):
to wait for the finish line tofeel motivated.
We can tap into that driveduring the process.
It's actually our natural state.
Huberman often discusses how ourmindset and self-talk around
effort are incredibly powerfultools.
He emphasizes that attachingthe dopamine reward to the
(08:54):
effort, not just the outcome, isthe key to that sustained
pursuit.
For example, studies on rewardprediction error, which is a
foundational concept inneuroscience, show that dopamine
neurons fire in response tounexpected rewards or cues that
predict rewards.
(09:15):
When we internally validate ourown efforts as progress, we're
essentially creating thosepredictive cues and that energy
feedback loop.
To put it in layman's terms,praising yourself for yourself,
doing things that take effortduring the effort, rewires your
(09:36):
brain back to its default stateof feeling motivated by effort.
So if dopamine is releasedduring effort and our perception
of that effort matters.
How do we actually cultivatethis intrinsic effort-driven
motivation?
This is where Dr Huberman'sinsights become incredibly
(09:56):
practical.
Let's break down some actionablesteps.
First and this is a big onelearn to subjectively reward the
effort.
Huberman suggests that we needto consciously tell ourselves
that the feeling of strain ordifficulty is good.
When you're working onsomething challenging and you
(10:17):
feel that resistance, instead ofshying away from it or getting
discouraged, do your best tomentally reframe it.
Tell yourself this is it.
This feeling means I'm makingprogress.
This is my brain and bodygetting stronger and adapting.
I like making progress.
(10:38):
You don't have to word itexactly like that, but you get
the point.
In this example, you'rebasically attaching the dopamine
release of internally praisingyourself and acknowledging the
progress to this sensation ofeffort.
Remember, when it comes to thebrain, neurons that fire
(10:58):
together, wire together.
It is that simple.
Keep doing this repeatedly andit will become more and more of
an ingrained pathway and youwill build this muscle steadily
over time.
It's about recognizing that theeffort itself is the win.
In that moment, you took action.
(11:20):
Action equals success and alloutcomes are just learning.
This is why I say it Doing thething, taking the action, doing
the effort is the success.
Taking the action, doing theeffort is the success.
Effort is enough.
Progress is the point, growthis the goal, practice is the
(11:44):
purpose.
Action cures everything.
So here we get to our firstactionable takeaway.
The next time you're pushingthrough a tough task, catch
yourself.
If you feel resistance, pauseand inwardly say this effort is
making me better, this is thepath.
(12:06):
Embrace that feeling ofstriving.
To put it another way, ifyou've ever played a video game,
one that you really enjoyed, itprobably wasn't one that was
incredibly easy and had nothingfor you to achieve or overcome.
In fact, it's finding thatsweet spot of not way too hard
(12:26):
where you can still play thegame while challenging enough
that you have to push yourself.
That really gets people hookedon a video game.
Take that reflection andrealize that your life isn't so
different.
Embrace the challenge and stepout of your comfort zone.
The Stoics were doing the samething without knowing anything
(12:48):
about dopamine.
The obstacle is the way,meaning they let hard things
motivate them, becauseovercoming those challenges and
pushing themselves and takingall of that effort, striving to
overcome, was a reward in and ofitself.
They were utilizing thisdopamine pathway by consciously
(13:12):
framing their perspective of thechallenge.
Other things you can say toyourself during effort because,
frankly, you might not want toalways say the exact same thing
or it might be a long process.
These can include I can do hardthings, I like the challenge.
The obstacle is the way.
(13:33):
This is it, the slight edge,the compound effect, inaction.
I'm getting 1% better every day.
This is the call to adventure,the hero's journey, overcoming a
challenge.
And, frankly, you can even takeit one step further.
(13:53):
As you build this muscle andyou keep building this intrinsic
motivation, you can shift yourview of yourself and change your
identity.
And once you identify assomebody who does hard things,
who likes to overcome obstacles,who embraces challenges and
(14:15):
accomplishes their goals, whoembraces the effort and lets
effort become energy, that willjust self-reinforce this entire
pathway, that much more.
This is what Hannah meant whenshe said she defined herself as
a doer, as someone who takesaction.
Now the second major point is alittle counterintuitive.
(14:37):
Be careful with externalrewards for effort that you want
to internalize.
Huberman warns against layeringtoo many external rewards on
top of activities you genuinelywant to feel intrinsically
motivated to do.
If you reward yourself with acookie every time you do 10
(14:59):
minutes of work, you finddifficult, your brain might
start associating the effortonly with the cookie, not the
inherent satisfaction ofprogress or completion, and
several studies have shown this.
Instead, he talks about theconcept of intermittent,
self-administered internalrewards for the fact that you
(15:21):
showed up and exerted effort.
This isn't about a tangibletreat every time, it's more of
an internal acknowledgement Idid the hard thing, I put in the
effort.
Good job, I'm proud of you.
I did the hard thing, I put inthe effort Good job, I'm proud
of you.
This internal validation canreinforce the effort dopamine
connection without hijackingyour intrinsic drive.
(15:43):
And this all leads to oursecond actionable takeaway For
activities you want to feelintrinsically motivated by focus
on acknowledging the effortinternally.
Say to yourself I'm proud, Ipushed through that.
And then save big externalrewards for genuinely big
(16:05):
completed milestones, not everystep of the process.
Third, we're going to focus onthe verb, the action itself.
This is a subtle but powerfulshift.
Instead of being fixated on thenoun, ie the outcome I want to
be a writer, I want to win thisaward, so on and so forth focus
(16:31):
on the verb, the process, theaction.
I am writing.
When you immerse yourself inthe doing of the activity, you
create more opportunities tofind inherent satisfaction and
to experience that effort-drivendopamine release.
The identity comes from therepeated action.
(16:53):
So, once again, action equalssuccess, leading us directly
into the third actionabletakeaway.
Identify a goal.
Now reframe it around the coreaction.
If your goal is to get fit,instead of trying to get to a
certain weight or a certain bodyphysique as the clear cut goal
(17:19):
that you are focusing on, focuson the action needed to take it.
I am exercising for 30 minutesand then, of course, when you do
that 30 minutes of exercise,use the previous two strategies
that we talked about before toreinforce that intrinsic
motivation.
Pour your attention into thesensation and the small wins
(17:43):
during the activity itself.
And then, of course, when youcomplete the activity,
acknowledge the accomplishmentof doing the full 30 minute run
or whatever the action happensto be accomplishment of doing
the full 30-minute run orwhatever the action happens to
be.
The fourth step in buildingintrinsic motivation is to
(18:04):
embrace a growth mindset.
This ties in beautifully witheverything that we've discussed.
Dr Carol Dweck, a Stanfordpsychologist, developed the
concept of a fixed versus agrowth mindset, and we've talked
about it before on this podcast.
A growth mindset is the beliefthat abilities and intelligence
can be developed throughdedication and hard work.
As Dr Dweck states in her bookMindset the New Psychology of
(18:29):
Success, the passion forstretching yourself and sticking
to it, even or especially whenit's not going well, is the
hallmark of the growth mindset.
This mindset naturally alignswith finding reward in effort
and embracing the power of.
Yet If you believe challengesare opportunities for growth,
(18:52):
the effort involved becomesinherently valuable.
So what's the fourth actionabletakeaway?
Well, obviously it's related tothe growth mindset.
When you face a setback or adifficult task, ask yourself
what can I learn from this?
How can this challenge make mestronger or more skilled?
View the struggle not as averdict on your abilities, but
(19:17):
as an integral part of thelearning and growth process.
This is consistent withHuberman's emphasis on reframing
the difficulty.
To go beyond theseHuberman-centric strategies, we
can use the foundational pillarsfrom self-determination theory.
Cultivate autonomy Whereverpossible.
(19:38):
Give yourself choices in how,when and where you approach a
task.
Even small choices can boostthat sense of control and agency
that lend themselves towardsintrinsic motivation.
Seek mastery.
Focus on the journey ofimprovement, not just the end
goal.
This is where we hear sayingslike it's about the journey, not
(20:01):
the destination.
Celebrate the small steps ofprogress and the competence
that's gained throughout.
The joy of getting better atsomething is a powerful
intrinsic motivator and a majorpurpose of this podcast.
And then, of course, lastly,find purpose.
Connect what you're doing to alarger value of purpose that
(20:25):
resonates with you.
Understanding the why behindyour efforts can infuse them
with meaning and drive.
Now, you're not going to becomea motivation machine overnight,
and that's not what it's about.
It's really about understandingthe subtle but powerful ways
our brains operate and learningto work within them.
(20:47):
It's about shifting yourperspective on effort from
something to be dreaded ormerely tolerated to something
that can be a source of energyand drive in and of itself.
Dr Huberman himself often sayssomething along the lines of the
extent to which we can linkdopamine to the effort process
(21:07):
is directly correlated with howreadily we will engage in effort
.
This really encapsulates thecore idea we have the power to
teach our brains to love theclimb, not just the view from
the summit, and that this isactually our natural
evolutionary wiring.
So, to recap, intrinsicmotivation is that incredible
(21:31):
internal drive, the super musclethat we can build in our life
that leads to greater creativity, persistence and well-being.
We've learned that dopamine,our motivation molecule, isn't
just about rewards at the end,but can be potently released
during the effort itself,especially when we subjectively
(21:52):
frame that effort positively.
Especially when we subjectivelyframe that effort positively.
And to round up the keyactionable takeaways
subjectively reward the effort,reframe the struggle as progress
.
Become conscious of how you'reusing external rewards.
Don't let them overshadow thatinternal drive for tasks that
(22:13):
you want to feel intrinsicallygood about.
Focus on the verb.
Immerse yourself in the doing,in the action.
Action equals success.
Embrace a growth mindset.
(22:37):
See challenges as opportunities.
Build the muscles of your lifeand stay a lifelong learner in
shades of gray.
I encourage you this week topick just one of these
strategies.
Maybe it's reframing yourinternal dialogue during a
challenging workout, or focusingentirely on the process of a
work project rather than justthe deadline.
Observe what happens, noticeany shifts in your energy, your
(22:57):
focus or your enjoyment.
This process isn't a sprint.
You're going to have to buildit over time, but there are few
things that are more beneficialthan cultivating intrinsic
motivation, and this muscleitself is a journey, not a
destination.
Be patient with yourself, staycurious and keep exploring what
(23:21):
truly drives you, and rememberyou are enough and you deserve
to fill up your inner cup withhappiness, confidence and
self-compassion.
Thank you for listening to theSage Solutions Podcast.
(23:43):
Your time is valuable and I'mso glad that you choose to learn
and grow here with me.
If you haven't already, don'tforget to subscribe so you don't
miss out on more sage advice.
One last thing the legallanguage.
(24:07):
This podcast is for educationaland informational purposes only
.
No coaching client relationshipis formed.
It is not intended as asubstitute for the personalized
advice of a physician,professional coach,
psychotherapist or otherqualified professional.
Welcome to the Sage Solutions Podcast, where we talk
about all things personalgrowth, personal development and
becoming your best self.
My name is David Sage and I ama self-worth and confidence
coach with Sage CoachingSolutions.
Have you ever found yourselfdoing something that's so easy
(00:25):
that it's just plain boring?
Have you ever gotten a thrillout of accomplishing something
that was a challenge?
Of course you have.
It's baked into our DNA.
We were wired to findchallenges motivating.
It was an essential strategyfor life.
When we take a look at theevolutionary psychology, it just
(00:47):
makes sense that everyday lifewas a struggle.
For our ancestors, justsurviving meant overcoming
challenges on a daily basis, soof course it made sense for our
brains to reward us forovercoming those challenges,
because doing so kept us alive.
(01:07):
In this podcast, we've talkedabout many different topics, one
of them being that life is likea muscle.
So build it.
It's actually one of my fivecore fundamentals.
But what if I told you therewas one specific muscle and when
I say muscle, I'm referring totraits or skills that we can
build like a muscle that there'sone muscle that is more
(01:31):
powerful and can have a biggerimpact on your life than any
other single muscle, that youcould build that muscle is
intrinsic motivation, because ifyou can build this muscle, it
will actually produce its ownfuel and fuel all the other
muscles that you want to build.
This is a topic I've actuallyheld off on covering because I
(01:54):
wanted to have a good enoughunderstanding to really do it
justice.
So here it is cultivatingintrinsication.
But before we get into it, ourgoal with this podcast is to
share free, helpful tools withyou and anyone you know who is
looking to improve their life.
(02:16):
So take action, subscribe andshare this podcast with them.
How often do you find yourselfpushing through tasks feeling
like you're just going throughthe motions?
Or maybe you start new goalswith a burst of enthusiasm, only
for that to fizzle out.
Today we're going deep intothis fuel that can keep that
(02:39):
fire burning.
Bright Intrinsic motivation.
It's that powerful RightIntrinsic motivation.
It's that powerful Internaldrive to do something simply
because you find it interesting,enjoyable or personally
satisfying.
And even better yet, gettingeffort to become energy can
completely change your life, anddoing it solely for this
(03:00):
intrinsic motivation, not for anexternal reward or to avoid
punishment.
We'll explore what it is thefascinating science of how it
works, specifically through thelens of dopamine and effort, but
, most importantly, we'lluncover practical, actionable
steps that you can start usingtoday to cultivate more
(03:24):
intrinsic motivation in your ownlife.
This isn't about quick fixes.
It's about understanding ourinner workings to build a
sustainable drive.
So grab a drink, settle in andlet's unlock the secrets to
genuine, lasting motivation.
On a previous podcast, we talkedabout feeling motivated.
(03:48):
The type of motivation thatwe're talking about today is a
bit different Waiting to feelmotivated or get inspiration, as
I like to say, just todifferentiate.
It is what causes Mel Robbinsto say motivation is garbage If
we're waiting to feel inspiredor this sense of motivation in
(04:09):
order to do the things that weneed to do in our life.
Most of the time, we're notgoing to do them, which is why
that feeling of motivation isbetter used as a lubrication
something that makes it easierto do it than a fuel.
However, when it comes to thedopamine reward system and
intrinsic motivation somethingthat makes it easier to do it
than a fuel.
However, when it comes to thedopamine reward system and
(04:30):
intrinsic motivation, we'retalking about a whole different
ballgame.
So what exactly is intrinsicmotivation?
At its core, it's the desire toengage in activities for their
own sake, think about a hobbyyou love.
Perhaps it's painting, playingan instrument, gardening or even
solving complex puzzles.
You do these things because theprocess itself is rewarding and
(04:54):
you enjoy doing them.
The pioneers ofself-determination theory,
psychologists Edward Dessy andRichard Ryan, have extensively
researched this.
They propose that intrinsicmotivation thrives when three
basic psychological needs aremet Autonomy, or the feeling of
(05:14):
control and choice.
Competence, the feeling ofbeing effective and capable.
And relatedness feelingconnected to others and
relatedness feeling connected toothers.
As Desi and Ryan put it intheir seminal work, intrinsic
motivation is critical becauseit leads to persistence,
creativity and well-being.
(05:34):
When we're intrinsicallymotivated, we're more engaged,
we learn better and we generallyfeel happier about what we're
doing.
This contrasts sharply withextrinsic motivation, where
we're driven by external factorslike money, grades, praise or
(05:55):
fear of consequences.
That's right, both the carrotand the stick.
Extrinsic motivators are anatural part of everyday life.
Extrinsic motivators are anatural part of everyday life.
While they have their place,relying on them too heavily can
actually undermine our intrinsicdrive.
Imagine a child who loves todraw.
If you start paying them forevery picture, they might start
(06:17):
drawing only for the money andthe pure joy of it can actually
fade.
Now let's get into some of thefascinating science, especially
around the neurotransmitter.
Many of you have heard ofdopamine.
Now you might be laughing andgoing.
Fascinating science, but if youunderstood the power that what
I'm talking about today can haveover your life, you would
(06:40):
understand why I'm so excitedabout this.
Dopamine is often misunderstoodas purely the pleasure molecule
or, more recently, as the rewardmolecule.
Dopamine is much more nuanced.
It's fundamentally a moleculeof motivation, pursuit and drive
.
Dr Andrew Huberman, a scientistat Stanford and the host of the
(07:05):
Huberman Lab podcast, has donea fantastic job of popularizing
the science of how dopaminereally works in the context of
motivation.
One of his key insights is thatdopamine isn't just released
when we achieve a goal.
A significant, and perhaps morecrucial release happens during
(07:26):
the effort itself, especiallywhen we believe we are on the
right path.
Think about that.
It's not just about the summitof the mountain.
What it's really about is theclimb.
Huberman explains that ourbrains are wired to release
dopamine when we are in pursuit,when we are striving.
(07:47):
However, a critical piece hereis our subjective interpretation
of the effort.
If we view the struggle, thefriction, the difficulty as a
bad thing, something to beavoided, we can actually
suppress this beneficialdopamine release.
But if we can get ourselvesback to that natural state, to
(08:10):
use our conscious perspective toreframe that effort as the very
thing that's carving the pathto our goal, as evidence that we
are moving forward, then theeffort itself can become a
source of dopamine and a rewardin and of itself.
This is truly a game changer,because it means we don't have
(08:34):
to wait for the finish line tofeel motivated.
We can tap into that driveduring the process.
It's actually our natural state.
Huberman often discusses how ourmindset and self-talk around
effort are incredibly powerfultools.
He emphasizes that attachingthe dopamine reward to the
(08:54):
effort, not just the outcome, isthe key to that sustained
pursuit.
For example, studies on rewardprediction error, which is a
foundational concept inneuroscience, show that dopamine
neurons fire in response tounexpected rewards or cues that
predict rewards.
(09:15):
When we internally validate ourown efforts as progress, we're
essentially creating thosepredictive cues and that energy
feedback loop.
To put it in layman's terms,praising yourself for yourself,
doing things that take effortduring the effort, rewires your
(09:36):
brain back to its default stateof feeling motivated by effort.
So if dopamine is releasedduring effort and our perception
of that effort matters.
How do we actually cultivatethis intrinsic effort-driven
motivation?
This is where Dr Huberman'sinsights become incredibly
(09:56):
practical.
Let's break down some actionablesteps.
First and this is a big onelearn to subjectively reward the
effort.
Huberman suggests that we needto consciously tell ourselves
that the feeling of strain ordifficulty is good.
When you're working onsomething challenging and you
(10:17):
feel that resistance, instead ofshying away from it or getting
discouraged, do your best tomentally reframe it.
Tell yourself this is it.
This feeling means I'm makingprogress.
This is my brain and bodygetting stronger and adapting.
I like making progress.
(10:38):
You don't have to word itexactly like that, but you get
the point.
In this example, you'rebasically attaching the dopamine
release of internally praisingyourself and acknowledging the
progress to this sensation ofeffort.
Remember, when it comes to thebrain, neurons that fire
(10:58):
together, wire together.
It is that simple.
Keep doing this repeatedly andit will become more and more of
an ingrained pathway and youwill build this muscle steadily
over time.
It's about recognizing that theeffort itself is the win.
In that moment, you took action.
(11:20):
Action equals success and alloutcomes are just learning.
This is why I say it Doing thething, taking the action, doing
the effort is the success.
Taking the action, doing theeffort is the success.
Effort is enough.
Progress is the point, growthis the goal, practice is the
(11:44):
purpose.
Action cures everything.
So here we get to our firstactionable takeaway.
The next time you're pushingthrough a tough task, catch
yourself.
If you feel resistance, pauseand inwardly say this effort is
making me better, this is thepath.
(12:06):
Embrace that feeling ofstriving.
To put it another way, ifyou've ever played a video game,
one that you really enjoyed, itprobably wasn't one that was
incredibly easy and had nothingfor you to achieve or overcome.
In fact, it's finding thatsweet spot of not way too hard
(12:26):
where you can still play thegame while challenging enough
that you have to push yourself.
That really gets people hookedon a video game.
Take that reflection andrealize that your life isn't so
different.
Embrace the challenge and stepout of your comfort zone.
The Stoics were doing the samething without knowing anything
(12:48):
about dopamine.
The obstacle is the way,meaning they let hard things
motivate them, becauseovercoming those challenges and
pushing themselves and takingall of that effort, striving to
overcome, was a reward in and ofitself.
They were utilizing thisdopamine pathway by consciously
(13:12):
framing their perspective of thechallenge.
Other things you can say toyourself during effort because,
frankly, you might not want toalways say the exact same thing
or it might be a long process.
These can include I can do hardthings, I like the challenge.
The obstacle is the way.
(13:33):
This is it, the slight edge,the compound effect, inaction.
I'm getting 1% better every day.
This is the call to adventure,the hero's journey, overcoming a
challenge.
And, frankly, you can even takeit one step further.
(13:53):
As you build this muscle andyou keep building this intrinsic
motivation, you can shift yourview of yourself and change your
identity.
And once you identify assomebody who does hard things,
who likes to overcome obstacles,who embraces challenges and
(14:15):
accomplishes their goals, whoembraces the effort and lets
effort become energy, that willjust self-reinforce this entire
pathway, that much more.
This is what Hannah meant whenshe said she defined herself as
a doer, as someone who takesaction.
Now the second major point is alittle counterintuitive.
(14:37):
Be careful with externalrewards for effort that you want
to internalize.
Huberman warns against layeringtoo many external rewards on
top of activities you genuinelywant to feel intrinsically
motivated to do.
If you reward yourself with acookie every time you do 10
(14:59):
minutes of work, you finddifficult, your brain might
start associating the effortonly with the cookie, not the
inherent satisfaction ofprogress or completion, and
several studies have shown this.
Instead, he talks about theconcept of intermittent,
self-administered internalrewards for the fact that you
(15:21):
showed up and exerted effort.
This isn't about a tangibletreat every time, it's more of
an internal acknowledgement Idid the hard thing, I put in the
effort.
Good job, I'm proud of you.
I did the hard thing, I put inthe effort Good job, I'm proud
of you.
This internal validation canreinforce the effort dopamine
connection without hijackingyour intrinsic drive.
(15:43):
And this all leads to oursecond actionable takeaway For
activities you want to feelintrinsically motivated by focus
on acknowledging the effortinternally.
Say to yourself I'm proud, Ipushed through that.
And then save big externalrewards for genuinely big
(16:05):
completed milestones, not everystep of the process.
Third, we're going to focus onthe verb, the action itself.
This is a subtle but powerfulshift.
Instead of being fixated on thenoun, ie the outcome I want to
be a writer, I want to win thisaward, so on and so forth focus
(16:31):
on the verb, the process, theaction.
I am writing.
When you immerse yourself inthe doing of the activity, you
create more opportunities tofind inherent satisfaction and
to experience that effort-drivendopamine release.
The identity comes from therepeated action.
(16:53):
So, once again, action equalssuccess, leading us directly
into the third actionabletakeaway.
Identify a goal.
Now reframe it around the coreaction.
If your goal is to get fit,instead of trying to get to a
certain weight or a certain bodyphysique as the clear cut goal
(17:19):
that you are focusing on, focuson the action needed to take it.
I am exercising for 30 minutesand then, of course, when you do
that 30 minutes of exercise,use the previous two strategies
that we talked about before toreinforce that intrinsic
motivation.
Pour your attention into thesensation and the small wins
(17:43):
during the activity itself.
And then, of course, when youcomplete the activity,
acknowledge the accomplishmentof doing the full 30 minute run
or whatever the action happensto be accomplishment of doing
the full 30-minute run orwhatever the action happens to
be.
The fourth step in buildingintrinsic motivation is to
(18:04):
embrace a growth mindset.
This ties in beautifully witheverything that we've discussed.
Dr Carol Dweck, a Stanfordpsychologist, developed the
concept of a fixed versus agrowth mindset, and we've talked
about it before on this podcast.
A growth mindset is the beliefthat abilities and intelligence
can be developed throughdedication and hard work.
As Dr Dweck states in her bookMindset the New Psychology of
(18:29):
Success, the passion forstretching yourself and sticking
to it, even or especially whenit's not going well, is the
hallmark of the growth mindset.
This mindset naturally alignswith finding reward in effort
and embracing the power of.
Yet If you believe challengesare opportunities for growth,
(18:52):
the effort involved becomesinherently valuable.
So what's the fourth actionabletakeaway?
Well, obviously it's related tothe growth mindset.
When you face a setback or adifficult task, ask yourself
what can I learn from this?
How can this challenge make mestronger or more skilled?
View the struggle not as averdict on your abilities, but
(19:17):
as an integral part of thelearning and growth process.
This is consistent withHuberman's emphasis on reframing
the difficulty.
To go beyond theseHuberman-centric strategies, we
can use the foundational pillarsfrom self-determination theory.
Cultivate autonomy Whereverpossible.
(19:38):
Give yourself choices in how,when and where you approach a
task.
Even small choices can boostthat sense of control and agency
that lend themselves towardsintrinsic motivation.
Seek mastery.
Focus on the journey ofimprovement, not just the end
goal.
This is where we hear sayingslike it's about the journey, not
(20:01):
the destination.
Celebrate the small steps ofprogress and the competence
that's gained throughout.
The joy of getting better atsomething is a powerful
intrinsic motivator and a majorpurpose of this podcast.
And then, of course, lastly,find purpose.
Connect what you're doing to alarger value of purpose that
(20:25):
resonates with you.
Understanding the why behindyour efforts can infuse them
with meaning and drive.
Now, you're not going to becomea motivation machine overnight,
and that's not what it's about.
It's really about understandingthe subtle but powerful ways
our brains operate and learningto work within them.
(20:47):
It's about shifting yourperspective on effort from
something to be dreaded ormerely tolerated to something
that can be a source of energyand drive in and of itself.
Dr Huberman himself often sayssomething along the lines of the
extent to which we can linkdopamine to the effort process
(21:07):
is directly correlated with howreadily we will engage in effort
.
This really encapsulates thecore idea we have the power to
teach our brains to love theclimb, not just the view from
the summit, and that this isactually our natural
evolutionary wiring.
So, to recap, intrinsicmotivation is that incredible
(21:31):
internal drive, the super musclethat we can build in our life
that leads to greater creativity, persistence and well-being.
We've learned that dopamine,our motivation molecule, isn't
just about rewards at the end,but can be potently released
during the effort itself,especially when we subjectively
(21:52):
frame that effort positively.
Especially when we subjectivelyframe that effort positively.
And to round up the keyactionable takeaways
subjectively reward the effort,reframe the struggle as progress
.
Become conscious of how you'reusing external rewards.
Don't let them overshadow thatinternal drive for tasks that
(22:13):
you want to feel intrinsicallygood about.
Focus on the verb.
Immerse yourself in the doing,in the action.
Action equals success.
Embrace a growth mindset.
(22:37):
See challenges as opportunities.
Build the muscles of your lifeand stay a lifelong learner in
shades of gray.
I encourage you this week topick just one of these
strategies.
Maybe it's reframing yourinternal dialogue during a
challenging workout, or focusingentirely on the process of a
work project rather than justthe deadline.
Observe what happens, noticeany shifts in your energy, your
(22:57):
focus or your enjoyment.
This process isn't a sprint.
You're going to have to buildit over time, but there are few
things that are more beneficialthan cultivating intrinsic
motivation, and this muscleitself is a journey, not a
destination.
Be patient with yourself, staycurious and keep exploring what
(23:21):
truly drives you, and rememberyou are enough and you deserve
to fill up your inner cup withhappiness, confidence and
self-compassion.
Thank you for listening to theSage Solutions Podcast.
(23:43):
Your time is valuable and I'mso glad that you choose to learn
and grow here with me.
If you haven't already, don'tforget to subscribe so you don't
miss out on more sage advice.
One last thing the legallanguage.
(24:07):
This podcast is for educationaland informational purposes only
.
No coaching client relationshipis formed.
It is not intended as asubstitute for the personalized
advice of a physician,professional coach,
psychotherapist or otherqualified professional.
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